Fact Check: Is Young NCIS really happening? CBS’ spinoff announcement explained
On April 1, 2025, CBS pranked NCIS fans with a fake Young NCIS spinoff. The NCISverse Instagram shared a realistic promo featuring child actors as younger versions of the main cast. The post mimicked Young Sheldon's branding with the tagline, “This fall, there’s no case too small.” Even Young Sheldon's Instagram joined in, joking, “Are you casting?” The prank fooled many, including Katrina Law and Diona Reasonover.
Fans in the comments were fully on board, too, for Young NCIS, saying they’d actually watch it. But a quick scroll to the hashtags revealed the truth: this was an April Fool’s prank, with #AprilFools and #WhatToWatch tagging it as fake. CBS pulled off a gag, and it got everyone talking—especially with season 22 of NCIS ramping up the drama. So, no, Young NCIS is not really happening.
How the Young NCIS prank got busted after still fooling half the internet
The Young NCIS prank fooled many, including fans and cast members. Katrina Law admitted, “I 100% believed,” while Diona Reasonover reacted with, “Omg.” The fake promo looked legit, with CBS branding, kid actors resembling the cast, and a catchy tagline. However, the truth was in the hashtags—#AprilFools, #YoungSheldon, and #WhatToWatch—revealing it was just a joke.
Fans had a mix of reactions. Some were annoyed they fell for it. Others were openly disappointed that it wasn’t real. A few even begged CBS to turn the joke into a real show, saying they’d tune in without hesitation.
NCIS season 22 episode 16 recap
NCIS season 22 episode 16, titled Ladies Night, opens with a couple in a car spotting a fire at an antiques store. Dan, who appears panicked, tells them his girlfriend is inside. Firefighters arrive, but it’s too late—Petty Officer First Class Jennifer Garcia is found dead inside.
Initially believed to be a fire victim, Kasie’s autopsy reveals she was strangled before the flames started. Her boyfriend, Dan, quickly becomes a suspect, especially after Kasie finds texts hinting at an argument between them. He clams up and asks for a lawyer.
Meanwhile, Kasie and Jess try to relax at a pottery night planned by Robin, but both are distracted by the case. When they realize Jennifer died wearing a necklace Dan gave her, they question why she'd wear it if the couple had broken up.
Robin ends up joining their investigation after they loop her in. On the other side, Torres and McGee uncover that Dan has an alibi but kept it quiet because the person he was with is on probation.
All paths lead back to the crime scene, where both teams connect new findings. A moved chest hiding a safe suggests the motive was theft, not jealousy. The team identifies the killer as a firefighter named Mr. December—the same guy who had earlier flirted with Jess.
His hand size matches the marks on Jennifer’s neck. The episode ends with Robin and Torres acknowledging that it’s time to be honest about where their relationship stands.
Watch NCIS on CBS.
